the love-chase-第6节
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Revolves the point 〃to be or not to be！〃
〃To be！〃 by all the triumphs of my sex！
There was a sigh！ My life upon't； that sigh；
If construed； would translate 〃Dear Widow Green！〃
Wal。 Enchanting woman！
W。 Green。 That is I！most deep
Abstraction； sure concomitant of love。
Now； could I see his busy fancy's painting；
How should I blush to gaze upon myself。
Wal。 The matchless form of woman！ The choice calling
Of the aspiring artist； whose ambition
Robs Nature to outdo herthe perfections
Of her rare various workmanship combines
To aggrandise his art at Nature's cost；
And make a paragon！
W。 Green。 Gods！ how he draws me！
Soon as he sees me； at my feet he falls！ …
Good Master Waller！
Wal。 Ha！ The Widow Green！
W。 Green。 He is confounded！ So am I。 O dear！
How catching is emotion。 He can't speak！
O beautiful confusion！ Amiable
Excess of modesty with passion struggling！
Now comes he to declare himself； but wants
The courage。 I must help him。Master Waller！
＇Enter SIR WILLIAM FONDLOVE。＇
Sir Wil。 Dear Widow Green！
W。 Green。 Sir William Fondlove！
Wal。 Thank
My lucky stars！ ＇Aside。＇
W。 Green。 I would he had the gout；
And kept his room！ ＇Aside。＇You're welcome； dear Sir William！
'Tis very； very kind of you to call。
Sir William FondloveMaster Waller。 Pray
Be seated； gentlemen。He shall requite me
For his untimely visit。 Though the nail
Be driven home； it may want clinching yet
To make the hold complete！ For that； I'll use him。＇Aside。＇
You're looking monstrous well； Sir William！ and
No wonder。 You're a mine of happy spirits！
Some women talk of such and such a style
Of features in a man。 Give me good humour；
That lights the homeliest visage up with beauty；
And makes the face； where beauty is already；
Quite irresistible！
Sir Wil。 That's hitting hard。 ＇Aside。＇
Dear Widow Green； don't say so！ On my life
You flatter me。 You almost make me blush。
W。 Green。 I durst not turn to Master Waller now；
Nor need I。 I can fancy how he looks！
I warrant me he scowls on poor Sir William；
As he could eat him up。 I must improve
His discontent； and so make sure of him。＇Aside。＇
I flatter you； Sir William！ O； you men！
You men； that talk so meek； and all the while
Do know so well your power！ Who would think
You had a marriageable daughter！ You
Did marry very young。
Sir Wil。 A boy！a boy！
Who knew not his own mind。
W。 Green。 Your daughter's twenty。
Come； you at least were twenty when you married；
That makes you forty。
Sir Wil。 O dear！ Widow Green。
W。 Green。 Not forty？
Sir Wil。 You do quite embarrass me！
I own I have the feelings of a boy；
The freshness and the glow of spring…time； yet； …
The relish yet for my young schooldays' sports；
Could whip a topcould shoot at tawcould play
At prison…bars and leapfrogso I might …
Not with a limb； perhaps； as supple； but
With quite as supple will。 Yet I confess
To more than forty！
W。 Green。 Do you say so？ Well；
I'll never guess a man's age by his looks
Again。Poor Master Waller！ He must writhe
To hear I think Sir William is so young。
I'll turn his visit yet to more account。＇Aside。＇
A handsome ring； Sir William； that you wear！
Sir Wil。 Pray look at it。
W。 Green。 The mention of a ring
Will take away his breath。
Wal。 She must be mine
Whate'er her terms！ ＇Aside。＇
W。 Green。 I'll steal a look at him！
Wal。 What！ though it be the ring？the marriage ring？
If that she sticks at； she deserves to wear it
Oh； the debate which love and prudence hold！ ＇Aside。＇
W。 Green。 How highly he is wrought upon！ His hands
Are clenched！I warrant me his frame doth shake！
Poor Master Waller！ I have filled his heart
Brimful with passion for me。 The delight
Of proving thus my power！
Sir Wil。 Dear Widow Green！ …
She hears not！ How the ring hath set her thinking！
I'll try and make her jealous。 ＇Aside。＇Widow Green！
W。 Green。 Sir William Fondlove！
Sir Wil。 Would you think that ring
Could tell a story？
W。 Green。 Could it？ Ah； Sir William；
I fear you are a rogue。
Sir Wil。 O no！
W。 Green。 You are！
Sir Wil。 No； on my honour！ Would you like to hear
The story of the ring？
W。 Green。 Muchvery much。
Sir Wil。 Think'st we may venture draw our chairs apart
A little more from Master Waller？
W。 Green。 Yes。
He'll bring it to a scene！ Deardear Sir William；
How much I am obliged to him！ A scene！
Gods； we shall have a scene！Good Master Waller；
Your leave I pray you for a minute； while
Sir William says a word or two to me。 …
He durst not trust his tongue for jealousy！＇Aside。＇
Now； dear Sir William！
Sir Wil。 You must promise me
You will not think me vain。
W。 Green。 No fear of that。
Sir Wil。 Nor given to boast。
W。 Green。 O！ dear Sir William！
Sir Wil。 Nor
A flirt！
W。 Green。 O！ who would take you for a flirt？
Sir Wil。 How very kind you are！
W。 Green。 Go on； Sir William。
Sir Wil。 Upon my life； I fear you'll think me vain！
I'm covered with confusion at the thought
Of what I've done。 'Twas very； very wrong
To promise you the story of the ring；
Men should not talk of such things。
W。 Green。 Such as what？
As ladies' favours？
Sir Wil。 'Pon my life； I feel
As I were like to sink into the earth。
W。 Green。 A lady then it was gave you the ring？
Sir Wil。 Don't ask me to say yes； but only scan
The inside of the ring。How much she's moved。 ＇Aside。＇
Wal。 They to each other company enough！
I； company for no one but myself。
I'll take my leave； nor trouble them to pay
The compliments of parting。 Lydia！ Lydia！
＇Goes out。＇
W。 Green。 What's here？ 〃Eliza！〃 So it was a lady！ …
How wondrously does Master Waller bear it！
He surely will not hold much longer out。＇Aside。＇
Sir William！ Nay； look up！ What cause to cast
Your eyes upon the ground？ What an it were
A lady？
Sir Wil。 You're not angry？
W。 Green。 No！
Sir Wil。 She is。
I'll take the tone she speaks in 'gainst the word；
For fifty crowns。I have not told you all
About the ring； though I would sooner die
Than play the braggart！yet； as truth is truth；
And told by halves； may from a simple thing；
By misconstruction； to a monster grow；
I'll tell the whole truth！
W。 Green。 Dear Sir William； do！
Sir Wil。 The lady was a maid； and very young；
Nor there in justice to her must I stop；
But say that she was beautiful as young；
And add to that that she was learned too；
Almost enough to win for her that title；
Our sex； in poor conceit of their own merits；
And narrow spirit of monopoly；
And jealousy； which gallantry eschews；
Do give to women who assert their right
To minds as well as we。
W。 Green。 What！ a blue…stocking？
Sir Wil。 I seeshe'll come to calling names at last。＇Aside。＇
I should offend myself to quote the term。
But； to return； for yet I have not done；
And further yet may go； then progress on
That she was young； that she was beautiful。
A wit and learned are naught to what's to come …
She had a heart！ …
W。 Green。 ＇Who during SIR WILLIAM'S speech has turned gradually。＇
What； Master Waller gone！ ＇Aside。＇
Sir Wil。 I say she had a heart …
W。 Green。 ＇Starting upSIR WILLIAM also。＇ A plague upon her！
Sir Wil。 I knew she would break out！ ＇Aside。＇
W。 Green。 Here； take the ring。 It has ruined me！
Sir Wil。 I vow thou hast no cause
For anger！
W。 Green。 Have I not？ I am undone；
And all about that bauble of a ring。
Sir Wil。 You're right； it is a bauble。
W。 Green。 And the minx
That gave it thee！
Sir Wil。 You're right； she was a minx。
I knew she'd come to calling names at last。 ＇Aside。＇
W。 Green。 Sir William Fondlove； leave me。
Sir Wil。 Widow Green！ …
W。 Green。 You have undone me； sir！
Sir Wil。 Don't say so！ Don't！
It was a girla child gave me the ring！
W。 Green。 Do you hear me； sir？ I bade you leave me。
Sir Wil。 If
I thought you were so jealous …
W。 Green。 Jealous； sir！
Sir William！ quit my house。
Sir Wil。 A little girl
To make you jealous！
W。 Green。 Sir； you'll drive me mad！
Sir Wil。 A child； a perfect child； not ten years old！
W。 Green。 Sir； I would be alone； sir！
Sir Wil。 Young enough
To dandle still her doll！
W。 Green。 Sir William Fondlove！
Sir Wil。 Dear Widow Green！
W。 Green。 I hate you； sir！ Detest you！ Never wish
To see you more！ You have ruined me！ Undone me！
A blighted life I wear； and all through you！
The fairest hopes that ever woman nourished；
You've cankered in the very blowing！ bloom
And sweet destroyed； and nothing left me； but
The melancholy stem。
Sir Wil。 And all about
A little slut I gave a rattle to！ …
Would pester me for gingerbread and comfits！ …
A little roguish feigning！ A love…trick
I played to prove your love！
W。 Green。 Sir William Fondlove！
If of my own house you'll not suffer me
To be the mistress； I will leave it to you！
Sir Wil。 Dear Widow Green！ The ring …
W。 Green。 Confound the ring；
The donor of it； thee； and everything！
＇Goes out。＇
Sir Wil。 She is over head and ears in love with me！
She's mad with love！ There's love and all its signs！
She's jealous of me unto very death！
Poor Widow Green！ I warrant she is now
In tears！ I thin
